Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate cognitive functions and functional connectivity in PD according to the presence of ICDs.

Background: The prevalence of Impulsive control disorders in Parkinson’s disease patients (PD-ICD) have been reported between 6-18%. Functional brain changes in PD-ICD are still poor investigated.

Methods: Structural and functional MRI and neuropsychological assessment were performed in 58 non-demented PD patients and 26 healthy controls (HC). Clinical interview and Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson’s disease were used to classify PD-ICD patients. A data-driven approach using independent component analysis was applied to identify the functional connectivity networks (FSL-MELODIC), which were compared between groups using a dual-regression analysis. (multiple comparisons correction in intergroup testing was set at p<0,05).

Results: 30 PD patients classified as PD-ICD showed significant differences in total learning, immediate memory, sustained attention, visual scanning and facial recognition in comparison to HC (p<0.05). PD patients without ICD (PD-NOICD) only differed from HC in total learning. Dual-regression analyses showed: (1) PD-ICD had less functional connectivity than HC in the Executive control network in the right middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and frontal pole; and (2) PD-NOICD showed significantly greater connectivity than HC in the Salience network, in the right precentral and postcentral gyrus.

Conclusions: PD-ICD patients showed impairment in memory and executive functions and reduced control executive network connectivity with some reward areas.

« Back to 2016 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/functional-connectivity-alterations-in-parkinsons-disease-patients-with-impulsive-control-disorders/